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America is full of upper middle class Black People WHO DO NOT TRAVEL.
People are trying to hide behind the economic argument why Black people are rarely seen at tourist attractions. That is a weak argument in an era of huge increases in the prosperity of African Americans.
Black people in my observation just do not share a love for travel in the same percentages as white people. It is a cultural differences. Yes, I see a handful of blacks at Disney, the NATIONAL PARKS, at a Broadway Show, at the Museum, at the historical center of Williamsburg VA but they are not represented in the percentage of their population. Maybe 1 in 100, instead of 1 in 10.
The question that has not been answered is WHY?
Cultural. A lot of people who travel like this especially visiting National Parks grew up in families that went out camping. In the past and still today, families often didn't stay in expensive hotels but would travel by car and stay in campgrounds. You don't see many black families in campgrounds but also you don't see the white families where the parents never went camping when they were young.
And maybe historical too as many blacks have roots in the South where there were Jim Crow laws and finding motels wasn't easy so they just didn't get the same traditions which are often passed down in families.
Also a high unwed motherhood rate affects blacks and whites and others the same, single mothers don't tend to take family trips and more black families are affected by a high unwed motherhood. White kids with no father also don't tend to travel too much to tourist locations.
I've traveled extensively throughout America and abroad (forty-five states, fifteen foreign countries, thirty plus national parks).
I have noted the relative absence of African Americans in most travel destinations that I visit. I did meet some black people at a ski resort in Southern Utah who were beginning skiers and asked my advice on how to wear the equipment comfortably. I was happy to oblige.
What is also relatively distressing is where I do find them. If I go to Las Vegas and enter a casino, I'm likely to see a fair percentage of blacks. I don't know if the same is true for Atlantic City. Perhaps, someone who has been there could inform me if this is true there too. Many of the blacks I see there are smoking. Many of the women are dressed in a manner that I would call beyond risque. I do wonder if there is a black cultural thing where people think "luck" determines whether they win rather than realizing that the odds of the house are so stacked against them that virtually no one wins over time. I don't think casinos and gambling are particularly healthy activities and so I don't spend much time there myself. If I go to that part of the country, I'd just as soon see Death Valley National Park or Valley of Fire State Park north of Las Vegas.
I'm sure economics fits into it. It makes me all the more sad to see so many minorities blowing money in Vegas.
It's a different culture. Blacks don't feel the need to be "cultured" or "backpack across Europe". It's not part of the culture. Only whites feel the need to travel extensively. This doesn't necessarily have to be a good thing. I know black and Hispanic culture is different, but we have more in common socio-economically with each other than the whites. I am Hispanic and have never traveled outside of the U.S. I've only actually been to two cities lol, Miami and Orlando, FL. I don't really feel anything missing, really. I don't understand what is the big deal about travel. I feel like I can find out everything I need to know about a place by just looking at pictures. And also I think is why us blacks and Hispanics don't travel is because of economic reasons. the white man can travel because they have a lot of money, naturally. The blacks can't travel because they're too busy trying to feed their families. They are not allowed to have high-paying jobs by our society. they are oppressed. that is why.
I live in a neighborhood that is Black, Hispanic, and White, working , lower middle class. The only "vacations" I ever hear other people talk about is going to the amusement park, or some very local trip. The thought of actually GOING somewhere far, far, away is never even mentioned. I hardly ever mention plans my family is making for fear of making someone feel I'm being uppity for the "hood". I do think the fact that people of color may be leery of the reception they'll receive, has a lot to do with it. Personally, I've often enjoyed being the only fly in the milk; everybody learns a little bit, and maybe dampens some stereotypes to boot. I notice that when my family, (Blk), goes to the art museum or something, we see almost no minorities, unless with a school-group. We get the strangest "What are you doing here" looks. My husband, daughter, and I are going to Hawaii, New York, and the Caribbean, in the next 6 years for long vaca's, and hope to see more minorities feel empowered enough to realize they are "allowed" to dream, and plan, and do. We are not rich, but our income is decent enough to pay our bills and save for travel. We space trips out every other year, and in fact sometimes work on 2 trip-plans at a time, to see how to save $$. We've been to D.C., and cities in our state of Ohio. I've been to Cali. and the V.I.'s and all thru the southern states,(where I felt the most racism) It's wonderful to actually SEE the things you've only heard about! Minority families, think out of the box!! - Group vaca's, sharing condo-rentals, gas, etc. Stay where you can take groceries and cut down on the eat-out bill. Lots of places now let kids stay or eat,(or both) free! Look For DISCOUNTS!!! You can do it, take time and try. We lose out on the vastness of just our country, let alone the world, if we don't try.
it's funny how some people still blame whites for everything! i am a white woman, came to America from a third-world country. i don't have a lot of money naturally! i save money for my kids to go to school. but! i've traveled a lot, lived in different countries (worked hard for/under a minimum wage!) i think some people just don't enjoy traveling. and it's ok. i don't like going to museums or opera so much. we are all different and like different things...
oh,and to Optional Angel, just looking through the pictures of places you could travel is like looking through the pictures of food ( national dishes for instance) from all over the world. you can't taste it,it's just not the same..
It's a different culture. Blacks don't feel the need to be "cultured" or "backpack across Europe". It's not part of the culture. Only whites feel the need to travel extensively. This doesn't necessarily have to be a good thing. I know black and Hispanic culture is different, but we have more in common socio-economically with each other than the whites. I am Hispanic and have never traveled outside of the U.S. I've only actually been to two cities lol, Miami and Orlando, FL. I don't really feel anything missing, really. I don't understand what is the big deal about travel. I feel like I can find out everything I need to know about a place by just looking at pictures. And also I think is why us blacks and Hispanics don't travel is because of economic reasons. the white man can travel because they have a lot of money, naturally. The blacks can't travel because they're too busy trying to feed their families. They are not allowed to have high-paying jobs by our society. they are oppressed. that is why.
I asked a hispanic woman who was going to Colorado if she was going camping and hiking and she looked at me like I was absurd and said that her idea of camping was staying in a penthouse suite of a Hilton hotel.
It's just a subculture that craves working hard all year to spend vacations sleeping on the ground in a tent and sitting around a campfire. That subculture happens to be more white. Some people aren't as into returning to caveman ways for two weeks and some people like casino lights more than hiking to waterfalls. It's probably got a lot to do with how you're raised.
It's the same for a lot of things. Take deer hunting -- more often you see white men into that. Not so many white women, black men or black women going out in groups to hunt deer. Or rodeo events - some black families go but you tend to see more white families. Even if it's a black bull rider competing and winning - the audience isn't as black as other kinds of events.
Maybe black people don't like to travel. lol Of course, they are the minority so no one should expect to see a lot of them in one place unless they are the majority of a city.
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